


Lesson 2: Dick Grayson

by Doves_Writing



Series: Lessons in Family [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Dick Grayson breaks, Gen, but he has his little brother to help out, yeah yeah I'm still evil i get it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2019-01-01 06:54:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12151086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doves_Writing/pseuds/Doves_Writing
Summary: Dick Grayson is reminded of something he shouldn't have forgotten





	Lesson 2: Dick Grayson

Dick was shoved into the corner of his closet, breathing shaky as he counted to ten and down again.

He could not break. He could not break. _He could not break_

He is their net, he is supposed to catch them, and he has caught them so many times, the weight stretching his netting every time.

He is wearing thin.

And he _cannot break_.

He heard heavy footsteps outside in the hall, _clunk. Clunk. Clunk_. He knows it is Jason, he knows because he is supposed to, he is the oldest.

He can’t let Jason see him broken, it wouldn’t be fair to his little brother who has been broken _so many times_ and is only now letting his family put his pieces back together.

He tucks himself closer into the darkness, away from sight of the door as Jason knocks on it.

“Hey, Goldie! Come on, Alfie’s nearly done with dinner”

Dick remains silent.

“Oi, Goldie, you in there?”

Dick curses as his shoulder scrapes across a nail still in the wall.

“Dick? Hey, if you don’t come out right now, I’m coming in”

Dick does not move, he shuts his eyes and he tucks himself closer to the center of his body, but he does not move to do what his little brother told him too.

He hears the rattling of his lock being picked.

He does not move.

He hears his door creak open and Jason step in.

He does not breathe.

He hears his closet door slide open.

He does not look.

“Shit. Dick what happened? Are you okay?” Jason’s voice is worried.

He remembers when he first heard it, though it had been not as deep, since he had been so young, he had come to the cave, dripping wet, his side torn up and bloody, splinters of wood pricking out of him like little needles in a pin cushion.

He thought the cave would be empty, Robin and Batman were supposed to be on patrol still.

Which was why he had been so surprised when the squeaky voice of the new Robin piped up from the computer, asking if he was okay.

He had lied then.

He lies now.

“Yeah, I’m fine! Just looking for something” he said, smiling.

Jason didn’t buy it, he could see it in his eyes but god he hoped he would just leave it, Jason doesn’t need to see Dick like this.

He doesn’t leave it, his face twists into what Dick can tell is his way of saying ‘I call bullshit and I’m pissed you just lied to me, but I’m also concerned for you’.

He hates that look.

Jason grabs his arms and pulls him up, leading him out of the closet and shoving him down on to the bed, his arms crossing “what the fuck happened, did you get gassed last week and now tell us?” Jason’s voice is soft, but firm enough to tell Dick he will not accept anything but the truth.

Dick shakes his head, he fights against the screaming in his head that is telling him that he cannot lay this on Jason, his little brother doesn’t need this.

He tells him, he tells Jason everything.

He tells him how he is breaking and can’t hold his fraying edges together anymore, and Jason sighs and sits down next to him, wrapping his arms around Dick.

And Dick sinks against his little brother as Jason leans his head down atop of Dicks “You’re not alone, Dick, you have Alfred, and Bruce, and Babs, and Cass, and me” he says, and Dick shakes his head against Jason’s chest.

“Not you, you’re my little brother, you don’t need to see me like this”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m seeing you like this right now, and I’m fine” he pauses, sighs, and tugs Dick closer “You’re trying to be a net for everyone, Dick, let someone else be your net for once”

“I notice you stopped at yourself, you went in order of age and you stopped at yourself”

“Yeah, well, Tim, Steph, Duke and baby bat are still kids, it’s pretty obvious we can leave them out of seeing their big brother break, they have a lot on their plate”

“So do you”

“Not anymore, I let my family help me”

And Dick smiles, because his little brother is right, he does have people who will help him up when he is breaking, and he doesn’t have to hide himself away when he does.

They head down to dinner, shoving at each other and laughing, and Dick is peaceful, he is no longer breaking, because his brother took him down from the hooks pulling him taught and mended him, and promised he would do it again the moment the slightest fray appeared, promised there are more ready to help.

And Jason knocked him upside the head with his wrist and reminded him of something Dick should have never forgotten.

Dick Grayson has his Friends.

Dick Grayson has his Family.

Dick Grayson has his Net.


End file.
